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Designated a National Historic Site in 1996, the Palace Theatre is one of three surviving Canadian cinemas by architect Howard C. Crane and one of four surviving movie theatres in the country built by the Allen brothers, once the operators of the biggest cinema chain in Canada. Perhaps known more to locals as Flames Central, a popular sports bar and live entertainment venue, the building's current owners have revived the Palace Theatre name, returning the facility's brand to its glory days.
Built in 1921 during the golden age of cinema, the Palace Theatre was one of the final theatres to be built by the Allen family in Canada, who strived to make public moviegoing an opulent yet affordable experience. The venue served a crucial role in Calgary's cultural realm, providing a platform for films and live entertainment produced and performed by Canadians. It became the first home of the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra and the original host of William "Bible Bill" Aberhart's radio broadcasts on religion, which he recorded in front of a studio audience. Using the broadcast to distribute his religious and political ideologies, Aberhart later found the Social Credit Party and was swept to victory as Alberta's premier from 1935 to 1943.
The Palace Theatre was sold to Famous Players in 1923 and thrived as the city's preeminent venue for theatre and concerts until the 1956 opening of the Southern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium. It would screen its last movie — Tango and Cash — in 1990, staying empty until a $4 million renovation in 1998 converted the building into a nightclub.
The building entered a new era in 2007 when it was reborn as Flames Central. Now back to its revered Palace Theatre title, the historic building has come to represent the fruitful empire of the Allen brothers and continues to stand as a testament to the unadulterated character of Stephen Avenue.
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